Districts aid Buncombe GOP

8:46 PM,
Nov. 10, 2012

David Gantt

Written by

More than any other factor, a switch to district elections has Republicans poised to take control of the next Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, people in both parties say.

Democratic candidates for the board collectively received a higher share of all votes cast in commissioner races - 60.5 percent - this year than they did in 2008, when the county elected all Democrats.

But if Tuesday's unofficial results hold through an expected recount, Republicans will hold four of the seven seats on the next board, giving the GOP a majority for the first time since 1988. ...